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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27772297">Unimportant</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emsomnia/pseuds/Emsomnia'>Emsomnia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, I'm not gonna focus on the main game story too much, M/M, Oh hell yeah, Other, Reader is gender neutral, Reader-Insert, Story is not one to one with the game, angst later on, business friends to friends to lovers, but if something'll add to the relationship at hand, but still follows the story. changes are made for pizzazz, mostly fluffy, no beta we die like Gustav, reader is summoner, shy!reader, somewhat chronological</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:28:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27772297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emsomnia/pseuds/Emsomnia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As an average, everyday person, you find yourself surprised and nearly overwhelmed when you find yourself the Summoner of the world of Askr</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alfonse/Summoner | Eclat | Kiran</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Welcome to Askr</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Can't get it off my mind the Feh practically ships Alfonse and the Summoner, so here!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You were an everyday person with nothing all that special about you. You were average in every way and lived your life plainly, mostly keeping to yourself due to your shy nature.</p><p>You sat down at your computer, logging in, hoping to get some gaming in before you had to do your chores. Just as you were about to begin a game, you heard something so unbelievably quiet, you were surprised you heard it.</p><p>“Kiran,” a voice quietly rang out. You froze. You were home alone.</p><p>“Kiran….” It rand out once more, louder this time. You shivered when a breeze hit you from behind.</p><p>Slowly, you turned around, and you were greeted by a gateway made of light,</p><p>“Kiran!” The voice called out loudly. They sounded like they needed your help.</p><p>You stood up, staring at the portal. It couldn’t be real… and yet…. You’ve always wanted more to life… maybe this was your chance…</p><p> </p><p>“Ah! There you are! I can’t believe it worked!” A red haired woman cheered. She kissed what appeared to be a gun. “I’m sorry I doubted you!”</p><p>“H-Hi,” You nervously greeted. “W-Where am I?”</p><p>When you looked around yourself, you were greeted by an unknown, strange world that almost seemed…. mystical.</p><p>“Oh! Right! You must be the Summoner, Kiran!” She greeted. “My name is Anna, commander of the Askran Kingdom’s Order of Heroes!”</p><p>“Summoner?” You asked. Anna handed you the gun, which you held nervously.</p><p>“Yep! I’ll explain more later once we get back to the Order!” She readied her axe. “We should get going before the Emblans find us!”</p><p>“What’s this?” You asked further, holding up the gun. “Is it a weapon?”</p><p>“Oh! No! It’s not a weapon!” She explained to you. “That’s a divine relic! Breidablik! It summons heroes from other worlds, just like it brought you to us!”</p><p>“Huh….” you looked at it. It sure looked like a gun. </p><p>“Now, sorry to keep rushing you, but let’s keep moving!” Anna declared. You followed the commander, but you were still very confused. What was this strange land? Why are you here? Why are you a Summoner? Where’d you get these… sick clothes that covered your face? </p><p>It all confused you… but all you could do was wait.</p><p> </p><p>When you finally arrived at the Order of Heroes, you found yourself to be quite frazzled. On your way from point a to b, you had been thrown into multiple battles- not that you fought in them, you couldn’t! But it frightened you nonetheless. </p><p>“I hope that wasn’t TOO frightening!” Anna told you as she guided you into the castle.</p><p>“N-No, not too frightening…” You awkwardly sighed. In the distance, you could see a blonde girl spot you and the commander, and she broke out into a full run towards you.</p><p>“IS THAT WHO I THINK IT IS?!” The girl cried. As she reached you, Anna stood proudly as she introduced you.</p><p>“Sharena, meet a brand new Summoner, Kiran!” She introduced. The girl known as Sharena turned to you, her eyes sparkling. </p><p>“Wow, it’s such an honor!” She grasped your hand and shook it. “I’m Sharena, Princess of Askr! I’m so happy to meet you!”</p><p>“A-A Princess?!” You cried. You instantly fell to a knee, bowing before her. “I’m sorry for my lack of manners!” Sharena laughed, pulling you up.</p><p>“Please!!! No formalities! I’m not the type for that!” She informed you. You gave her a quick nod.</p><p>“As you wish, Princess Sharena,” You apologized. She sighed.</p><p>“We’ll work on it,” She laughed. “Now, let’s give you a tour of the castle while we tell you about your job! Maybe we’ll find Alfonse along the way!”</p><p>“Who’s Alfonse?” You asked quietly.</p><p>“My brother. He may come off cold at first, but I’m sure he’ll warm right up to you!” Sharena grabbed your arm and began leading you on a tour.</p><p>“So, Kiran, I assume you consent to being Askr’s Summoner as you answered the call, right?” Anna asked as she followed.</p><p>“I’ll admit I’m not exactly sure what I’ve gotten myself into, but I’m willing to help in any way I can,” You shyly admitted. “When I heard the voice calling me… They sounded in need of help… I couldn’t ignore that.”</p><p>“Thank you for answering the call!” She thanked. “Now, to get down to the details of why we called upon you: We’re in conflict with our neighboring Kingdom of Embla. In order to keep up and protect our people, we need heroes willing to protect the innocent, which is where you come in!”</p><p>“What do I have to do with heroes?” You asked, quirking your head. You were certainly no hero yourself. </p><p>“You summon them, of course!” Sharena revealed to you. “With that relic, Breidablik, you summon heroes from other worlds who are willing to serve by our side and protect and help those who need it most!”</p><p>“I can do that…?” How could you do that? You were just… you! Not some mystical being who could summon people!</p><p>“Well, let’s give it a shot to see if you can,” Anna said, ushering you and the Princess into a room. “This is where the magic happens! The summoning room!” You were amazed at the room. It was so different from the rest of the castle, you felt like you had stepped into another dimension. </p><p>In your hand, you felt the relic come to life and you lifted it.</p><p>“It feels…. magical,” You commented quietly as you examined the relic.</p><p>“Try summoning someone,” Sharena encouraged you. With a deep breath, you held out the relic and pointed it at the outwards. When you pulled the trigger, a bright light appeared and colors flew around the room until a person appeared before you. </p><p>It was a man with blue hair and a crown on his head, and he looked rather regal. When he opened his eyes and gazed upon you, he looked more dignified that anyone you had ever met.</p><p>“Ahhh… Hello!” You greeted, walking up to him. “M-My name is Kiran! I think I summoned you…”</p><p>“It would appear to be the case!” He extended his hand to you and you shyly took it. “My name is Marth, Prince of Altea! In whatever way you need me, I am willing to help!”</p><p>“Come right this way with me, Prince Marth!” Anna greeted as she walked up. “I‘ll help get you sorted and integrated with the other heroes!” You watched almost woefully as Anna left you with the Prince- you had gotten used to her, and now, even though the Princess was very nice, you were left with someone you didn’t know as well.</p><p>“Let’s continue the tour, shall we?!” Sharena ‘asked’ you as she drug you along.</p><p> </p><p>She brought you to the final location in the tour, where she nearly squealed when she spotted the one person she’s been wanting you to meet this entire time. </p><p>He was a taller guy with gold tipped, blue hair and white and gold armor. He had a softer face that felt warm and inviting, and when he glanced over at you and the Princess, something about his eyes soothed your nerves.</p><p>“Ah, Sharena, is that who I think it is?” He asked as he approached.</p><p>“It sure is, brother!” She cheered. She brought you up to him, basically forcing the two of you to shake hands. “Alfonse, Kiran- Kiran, Alfonse!” You took quick note of her use of the word ‘brother’.</p><p>“G-Greetings, Prince Alfonse…” You said, trying to be as formal as you could be. “I look forward to serving the Order of Heroes to the best of my ability.”</p><p>“It’s nice to meet you, Summoner,” He said, avoiding the use of your name. “I look forward to working with you.”</p><p>“Oh come on, Alfonse!” Sharena whined. “I know you’re more excited than that to meet our Summoner! Come on!” He let out an exasperated sigh.</p><p>“We’ve needed someone with your abilities for a long time,” He explained. “It’s relieving that we’ve finally managed to contact you.”</p><p>“I’m still a bit confused as to how I got here, but it’s my pleasure to help in any way I can,” You quietly told him. Truth be told, it was hard to take everything in at the moment. It felt like a dream, suddenly being whisked away to another world where you were the one person they needed…. but if it was a dream, you didn’t want to wake up- ever! This was a world where you could do more than you ever imagined yourself ever doing- being more than you ever thought you could be! It had always been a quiet dream of yours, but your shy nature usually stopped you from doing anything bold.</p><p>“Sharena, why don’t you help the Summoner get settled in?” He instructed. “I need to go to the library and study some.”</p><p>“Whatever you say, Sir!” She said in a slightly mocking voice. She took your arm again and began leading you once more. Once you were out of earshot from Alfonse, she turned to you. </p><p>“I’m sorry for how…. Stiff my brother is acting,” She apologized. “He’s afraid to get close to the heroes cause he knows they’ll leave one day- we were reminded of that the hard way.”</p><p>“It’s quite alright,” You brushed off. “He’s the Prince right? He probably has more important things to worry about than me.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t put yourself down like that, Kiran!” Sharena berated. “You’re one of the most important people here!”</p><p>The Princess continued to talk about all the random things of the world, all the politics and conflicts, the heroes and the world’s they come from- but you couldn’t hear any of it. Your mind froze at the words ‘You’re one of the most important people here’. It was difficult for your mind to comprehend, because you were just…. you. You were just average old you. </p><p>To be important was a foreign concept.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Dangers of Being a Summoner</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When it comes to being the Summoner, there are risks you didn't know about</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moment you got settled in and learned about the conflict between Askr and Embla and just what your purpose was, you got to studying. When you weren’t summoning, helping heroes, or assisting with preparation for a campaign into another world, you were shacked up in the library studying. </p>
<p>Book after book, you powered through them taking notes on the world you now lived in. You felt it was your duty to learn about it, to make yourself as knowledgeable as possible- and it allowed you to avoid interacting with people.</p>
<p>It's not that you disliked the people of this world- no, they were rather inviting and friendly- but being in this place was overwhelming. Being alone allowed for you to move at your pace.</p>
<p>The library was your second home.</p>
<p>“Kiiiiiiraaaaaaannnn!” Sharena called out into the library, It had been so quiet and peaceful, her sudden shouting caused you to jump. You closed the book you were reading (an absurdly thick book on the history of Askr) and waved your hand, grabbing Sharena’s attention. She skipped on over happily.</p>
<p>“Whatcha reading?” She asked.</p>
<p>“The History of Askr,” You meekly responded. “Catching up on history.”</p>
<p>“Booooring!” She declared. She helped you out of your chair. “We’re heading out on a mission! I know it’s random and sudden, but there are people out there who need our help!”</p>
<p>“I‘ll go grab by things,” You simply agreed, abandoning your books at the table.</p>
<p>“Don’t be too long! Alfonse says we need to head out soon!” She informed you. The two of you went your separate ways, you rushing to your room. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alfonse was an… enigma to you. Whenever you went on these missions like this, he insisted upon keeping you within ear shot, but never truly went out of his way to talk to you. He truly seemed like a nice guy, but… you almost felt hurt by how he avoided you, only made worse by his insistence to be near you.</p>
<p>On the bright side, being so close to him and the others allowed you to see all the action, all the important encounters of the battle… It was surprising to see how personal the encounters between the Askran Siblings and the Emblan Princess, Veronica were, along with the mystery man on everyone’s minds, Bruno.</p>
<p>Every time you watched them clash, you were filled with the determination to do as much as you could to protect your new friends (even if Alfonse wouldn’t call you that), but the most recent battle took you aback. Veronica had turned her attention from the siblings… to you.</p>
<p>Her gaze seemed to pierce through you as she analyzed you. You cautiously took a step back, growing wary of your surroundings.</p>
<p>“Do you always wear your hood, Summoner?” She asked you suddenly. Taking a deep breath, you worked up the courage to respond.</p>
<p>“Yes,” You replied to her. “I like my hood.”</p>
<p>“Hmph. You should find a better way of hiding your fear,” She critiqued. You shivered at he words.</p>
<p>“Leave Kiran alone,” Alfonse berated his opponent. “This conflict is between you and us.”</p>
<p>“You’re the ones who brought the Summoner onto the playing field,” Veronica corrected. “They’re a piece on the board, just as you and I are.”</p>
<p>“Princess Veronica, we should retreat while we can,” Prince Xander, Veronica’s loyal lackey informed her. She huffed before joining him on his horse. </p>
<p>Subtly, under her breath, you could hear her voice.</p>
<p>“Any piece on the board is susceptible to removal…”</p>
<p>Normally you enjoyed being in the other worlds, seeing what they were like and what they had to offer, but this mission? You wanted to go home, back to the castle- back to safety.</p>
<p>You wanted to feel safe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even when you were at your most relaxed state of mind, Veronica’s words haunted you. You trusted that you were safe in the Order of Heroes castle, just as you had always been, but being threatened for the first time had you uneasy.</p>
<p>No matter where you were in the castle or who you were with, you’d flinch at the slightest movement. You never felt fully relaxed, hyper aware of everything around you. You couldn’t tell if you were overreacting or not, but you were too afraid to ask anyone about it. Too afraid to bother anyone with it.</p>
<p>You lived like this for weeks, and one night, when you had a particularly bad time trying to fall asleep, you gave up and decided to go to the library, the one place you truly felt at home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You slowly walked through the halls alone and you were unable to determine if you felt better or worse about the solitude, but the further away from your room you got, you determined it was definitely the second one</p>
<p>You took a deep breath. It was just a little further to the library where you would gladly dive into a book. </p>
<p>You spun around, chest heaving. You had heard the slightest noise in the quiet halls. When you saw that it was nothing, you let out a sigh, only to scream when you felt someone touch you.</p>
<p>“Kiran!” A familiar voice called out to you. You spun around to see that it was Alfonse who stood behind you. “It’s only me! What are you doing out so late?”</p>
<p>“P-Prince Alfonse!” You realized. “I’m sorry, I was on my way to the library. I could sleep.” You were surprised when he offered you an arm.</p>
<p>“Here, let me guide you there,” he offered. You stared at him, surprised by his sudden forwardness. He had never spoken to you so… plainly… before. Something felt off, but maybe your nerves were just getting the better of you.</p>
<p>“Are you sure, milord? It’s awfully late and I know the way. I wouldn’t want to bother you with something as trivial as escorting me,” You tried to reason. He waved you off.</p>
<p>“Anything for a friend,” He said. </p>
<p>A…. friend? Did Alfonse consider you a friend? If so…. he’d be your first one in this new world. It made you want to reach out and….</p>
<p>“KIRAN, GET AWAY FROM HIM, THAT’S NOT ME!” A new voice called out. When you spun around once more, a new, more frantic Alfonse had appeared.</p>
<p>“Damn you, alway ruining the fun!” The first Alfonse said in almost a… sultry fashion. He swung his arm at you, knocking you back and onto the ground and with the blink of an eye the first Alfonse vanished and the woman you recognized to be Loki appeared. “Wish I could’ve had more time to play with you, Summoner!” </p>
<p>As Alfonse charged at her with Folkvangr, she disappeared without a trace. Alfonse swore at himself, but when he looked to you, his eyes lit up a bit and you could’ve sworn his face went the slightest shade of pink.</p>
<p>Your hood had come off.</p>
<p>You quickly pulled it back on, hiding your features from the Prince before he could study your face too much. You found yourself lucky that your hair had covered most of your face from him. </p>
<p>Whatever awe at seeing you without your hood vanished and was now replaced with something new. He helped you up, but jumped past asking if you were okay and went straight to berating you.</p>
<p>“What are you doing being by yourself at these hours of the night? You need to be more careful,” He criticized. You felt yourself grow smaller.</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry, milord… I was headed to the library cause I couldn’t sleep,” you apologized meekly. “I should’ve just stayed in my room.”</p>
<p>“You’re too important to just walk around at night,” He said quietly. “Walking around alone at this time of night invites incidents like this.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry… I forget that I’m important,” You admitted. He paused, finding himself in a state of disbelief.</p>
<p>“... What do you mean you forget that you’re important? You sound as if it’s new to you,” Alfonse asked.</p>
<p>“It is new to me,” You corrected. “Back home- where I come from- I’m nobody. I’m as ordinary as a baker is here. I’ve never been… well…. important!” </p>
<p>“You were nobody before….?” His thoughts trailed off and you began to feel bad. You were wasting his time and you sounded like a pity party. You- </p>
<p>“Come with me,” He said, offering you his hand. You glanced down at it cautiously. </p>
<p>“Where are we going?” You asked nervously.</p>
<p>“Loki was probably here to get rid of you. Let’s go to my room, there’s less likely to be potential assassins in there. I’ll send guards to search over and clear your room while we wait there,” He explained. With a deep breath, you took his hand, trusting him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Breakthrough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You and Alfonse begin to bond</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You sat down across from Alfonse in his room. It was the first time you’d ever been in his room, let alone a member of a royal family’s room. It was much bigger than your room and was admittedly nicer, but you liked the size of your room and the comfort it brought. You felt secluded there.</p>
<p>“Summoner,” Alfonse addressed, pulling you back to reality. “Would you… would you mind if I asked you questions about your home?”</p>
<p>“About… where I came from?” You clarified quietly. “Sure, I’ll answer any question you have, milord.”</p>
<p>“Alfonse,” He corrected quickly. You quirked your head, confused. “Please, just call me Alfonse. Milord sounds too…. weird to me. I was gonna ignore it, afraid that if I let you just call me by my name we’d get too… friendly… but I’m starting to feel better about you, admittedly.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” You were very confused.</p>
<p>“Summoner, where do you come from?”</p>
<p>“Another world, I think,” You explained. You were quite sure how your world connected to Zenith. “A world made of steel.”</p>
<p>“What was it like when you were summoned?”</p>
<p>“I was in my home, alone,” you recalled. “I heard a voice calling out my name… it started quiet, but it grew louder. It sounded like they needed help. I turned around and I saw a portal behind me- that was where the voice was coming from.”</p>
<p>“Why did you go through?”</p>
<p>“I felt like I had two options…. continue living my boring, ordinary life… wishing for something to come and make it exciting…. or I could go through the portal in front of me and help someone in need, becoming more than I originally was,” You explained. “Deep down, I’ve always wanted to help people, and that portal gave me my chance… And now that I’m here, I want to help as much and for as long as I can.”</p>
<p>“We had always been told that the Summoner was a mysterious, magical being from another world… they were powerful, maybe even godly in some way,” Alfonse explained to you. “When you said you were unimportant before you came here… I was shocked. You’re nothing like what the tales said you would be.”</p>
<p>“Is that…. Am I not what you were looking for?” You asked nervously. </p>
<p>“You were exactly what we were looking for!” Alfonse eagerly corrected. “You’re the only one who can wield Breidablik. You’re the only one who can summon heroes to this world!”</p>
<p>“Then what’s so strange about me…?”</p>
<p>“My expectations had me believing you were some grand being who would grace us with your presence, someone to be revered and respected from afar- a deity,” He said simply. “But… you’re an ordinary human… but you’re beyond special because you’re living proof that heroes can come from the most unexpected of places.”</p>
<p>“So… what you’re saying is…?”</p>
<p>“I find that there is something comforting knowing that you’re someone like me,” He explained. “Someone who felt called to help people and to be more than you thought you could be.”</p>
<p>“... Can I make a request?” You asked shyly. He gave you an affirmative nod.</p>
<p>“Anything.”</p>
<p>“Call me Kiran,” You requested. “I find Summoner to be far too formal.” A shy smile appeared on your face that he could somewhat see.</p>
<p>“Alright, as you wish… Kiran,” he said with a small smile.<br/>Now that the awkwardness between the two of you had begun to breakdown, you felt confident enough to ask a question of your own.</p>
<p>“Alfonse…. might I ask why you’re hesitant to befriend people such as me?” You asked nervously. He took a deep breath, but knew you should probably know.</p>
<p>“Along time ago, I lost a friend that I had formed here at the order… He went back to his home world… and another friend I had, well… I fear I lost him forever,” He explained. “I don’t want to feel the pain of losing a friend again.”</p>
<p>You mulled over your thoughts for a moment before choosing to speak again.</p>
<p>“... If I said I never wanted to leave Zenith… Would that make me an okay candidate for friendship?” He was taken aback by your question.</p>
<p>“You never want to go home?”</p>
<p>“I… I like being helpful here… it grants me a kind of satisfaction that I’ve never felt before,” You explained. “I feel comfortable saying that I feel my purpose is and always will be here in Zenith, serving Askr and her people. If there’s a way to visit my home… that would be amazing, but I feel confident in saying that my purpose in life is here.”</p>
<p>“... It’ll take work on my end, but… I believe….if you plan on staying… I believe that I can manage to open myself back up to friendship, if you give me the time to work on it,” He explained. “I’ve been around you enough to know the kind of person you are… I admire people like you… just give me time.”<br/>A smile- a true smile- came to your face.</p>
<p>“Then you’ll be my first, true friend,” You said, quietly excited. He returned your smile. You were amazed by how warm and inviting it was- how it made your heart flutter.</p>
<p>“I hope I can be, Kiran.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While you still didn’t interact with Alfonse often, you found that the few times you did, he had become far more open and interactive with you. He called you by name, as he had promised, and even went as far as to seek your company when he noticed you. It was…. nice.</p>
<p>And Sharena took notice of this change.</p>
<p>“Kiiiiirrrrannnnnnn!” She sang out as she skipped towards you. You gave her a small bow of acknowledgment when she arrived.</p>
<p>“Hey, Sharena, what’s up?” You asked quietly.</p>
<p>“You and Alfonse!” She cheered. “He’s finally being friendly!!!! What did you do?!”</p>
<p>“W-What did I do?” You asked nervously. “I-I mean, I talked with him some, I think that helped…. I think.”</p>
<p>“Well, whatever you did- he’s been much nicer than he’s previously been… not that he was mean! But he’s just… Nicer!” She practically cheered. You found yourself quite bewildered at the moment.</p>
<p>“I’m glad to have been at your service?” You said, quite confused.</p>
<p>Just before the conversation could continue, Roy shouted down the hallway at you.</p>
<p>“Uhhh, Kiran?! Vaike’s doing the thing again!” He called out to you. You swore under your breath.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Sharena, I have to go!” You grumbled. “I have to stop Vaike from possibly doing something INCREDIBLY stupid! I’ll catch up to you later!” You ran off to Roy to go help stop the Vaike, leaving Sharena alone with an approaching Anna.</p>
<p>“What was that about?” Anna asked.</p>
<p>“Apparently Vaike is doing something,” Sharena shrugged before turning to her companion with a devilish grin. “Anna, I need your help with something.”</p>
<p>“What’s this something?” Anna asked cautiously.</p>
<p>“Well….” Sharena giggled as she got closer. “How about you help me make Alfonse and Kiran BFFs?”</p>
<p>“Oh? And how would we do this?” She asked quietly.</p>
<p>“Kiran’s assigned to the next supply run. Why don’t we partner Alfonse with them?.... And then partner Alfonse with them every time we can?”</p>
<p>“I like the way you think, Sharena… I like the way you think.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You and Alfonse walked awkwardly through town. He wasn’t sure how he ended up here with you, but he didn’t hate that he was here. You could’ve sworn you were going to be in town with Robin, but the sudden change to Alfonse wasn’t… unwelcome… but both of you being confused as to how you ended up here together created an awkward air between you.</p>
<p>Alfonse glanced down at your hooded figure and thought desperately for a way to fill the awkward air.</p>
<p>“So… Kiran..” He addressed quietly. “What were you going to read in the library that night?” You paused, surprised that he would ask about that.</p>
<p>“Oh, well… Ever since I came here I’ve been studying,” You explained shyly. “I’ve been reading up on the history of Askr and Zenith… how Askr interacts with other worlds…. And battle tactics of course… but mostly the history.” When you glanced up at him, he seemed to be impressed with you.</p>
<p>“It honors me that you’re taking the time to do that,” He explained. “If you need help with anything, just tell me. I’d be more than willing to help you with that.” You thought for a moment.</p>
<p>“... There’s one book that I’m having a hard time understanding,” You admitted. “It’s mostly in another language, but it has annotations that explain it… only I’m confused by those out of a lack of context.” Alfonse’s face grew reddish.</p>
<p>“I know the book you’re talking about,” He admitted as well. “I made those annotations.”</p>
<p>“O-oh, I see,” You laughed nervously.</p>
<p>“I’d be willing to help you with it though,” He explained. “It’s an older text about an old war Askr had with Embla. The first war, actually.”</p>
<p>“Oh, that sounds fascinating!” You nearly cheered. You surprised Alfonse with your enthusiasm on the topic- and he wholeheartedly agreed with it.</p>
<p>“When we get back and get all the supplies sorted, I’ll start going over it with you if you want,” He offered. </p>
<p>“That sounds wonderful! Thank you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The moment the two of you returned with the supplies and got it sorted, you eagerly ran to the library. With the book between the two of you, you began to decipher the work with his help.</p>
<p>“So this Lif guy,” You commented. “He made a pact with the dragon Askr and that’s what gave you the power to open portals?” You clarified. Alfonse nodded.</p>
<p>“Yes, and if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t be able to travel to other worlds,” He explained. “And on the next page, we learn about Thrasir, the founder of Embla. She made a pact with the dragon Embla and it gave her the power to close portals.”</p>
<p>“It kinda sounds like you need both,” You joked. He paused for a second.</p>
<p>“... Moving on,” He announced, flipping to another section of the book. “The first war was when the founders of Askr and Embla found out that they could bind heroes from other worlds to contracts and have them help out- voluntarily though. They asked beforehand…. I think…. Anyways, this culminated into the final battle of the war where all the heroes on both sides of the war ended up in one battle: The Battle of the Heroes.”</p>
<p>“... And who won the battle?” You asked slowly.</p>
<p>“We did, luckily,” Alfonse sighed. “But that isn’t to say there haven’t been wars we’ve lost. What’s important is that we learn from our previous mistakes.”</p>
<p>“Makes sense. Wouldn’t want to be predictable,” You agreed. You turned to your friend. “Got any other books you think I’d be interested in?”</p>
<p>“I got a ton that I think you’d enjoy!” He eagerly announced. He grabbed the book off the table and guided you to a section of the library you admittedly hadn’t been to yet. “This is my favorite section of the library.”</p>
<p>When you looked around, all the books seemed worn and old- but that gave them a certain level of personality. You picked one randomly off the shelf and opened up. It was a book about the mythology of Askr and Embla, breaking down its pantheon.</p>
<p>“This is amazing!” You marvelled. Alfonse put the book you grabbed back on the shelf.</p>
<p>“That book is just the tip of the iceberg,” He  explained. He went over and grabbed another book- a bigger one- and brought it over. “This one is my favorite of all the ones in this section.”</p>
<p>“What’s it about?” You asked, stifling a laugh at how massive it was.</p>
<p>“It’s similar to that other book, but it’s more in depth,” Alfonse eagerly told you. “It talks about the mythology, the legends, the creatures, and gods of not only our world, but so many others. It was reading this book that got me wanting to join the Order of Heroes in the first place!”</p>
<p>“That’s amazing!” You glanced down at the book. “Can you give me a tour of the book?” An excited grin appeared on his face. </p>
<p>“I’d love to!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Ice and Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Flames are approaching and you must find a way to defeat them.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry it uh.... *Checks date of last updated* took so long to update. I've been busy and uh, well.... book 2 isn't my favorite.</p>
<p>This chapter ain't all that original, but just hold onto your butts for the next few chapters I have planned!</p>
<p>Consider it a summary of Book 2, really.... That's all it really is.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You think she’ll be alright?”</p>
<p>“I believe she will be… Good job finding her, Kiran, I think she’d’ve been a goner if you hadn’t found her.”</p>
<p>“I just hope she’ll be alright…” </p>
<p>You and Alfonse watched over the mysterious blonde girl you found in the snow. Looking at her attire, it was clear she was not from Askr or Embla, and she was clearly in battle before you found her due to her injuries.</p>
<p>“Just be patient, Kiran,” Alfonse reminded you. “The Healers said she’s stable and in good condition. Just give her time to wake up…”</p>
<p>“You’re right, I’m sorry…” You sighed. “I‘ll give her time…” Your eyes shot over when you saw Alfonse’s hand appear next to you.</p>
<p>“Let’s go get food and come back later,” He suggested. “Pass some time while we wait.” You nodded, taking his hand.</p>
<p>“Sounds good to me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her name was Fjorm, princess of Nifl. She had been forced to flee her home as a result of an attack from their rival nation of Muspell, the attack resulting in her home’s destruction and her mother’s death. When you looked to Alfonse, you could see the determination in his eyes when he realized what the Order of Heroes must do.</p>
<p>It was time to fight Musepll.</p>
<p>You quickly learned however that Surtr, king of Muspell was impossible to defeat, but just when you thought all hope was lost… she appeared to you.</p>
<p>“Kiran is your name, correct?” She asked you. You gave her a small nod of your head. She gave you the most heartwarming smile you’d ever seen. </p>
<p>“My name is Gunnthra,” she introduced herself. “Fjorm is my younger sister. If you want to defeat Muspell and protect your world, come to Nifl. I shall guide you more once you are there.”</p>
<p>“Are you safe?” You asked her shyly. She quirked her head before you clarified. “I feel like Fjorm would like to know.” She hummed, a soft smile appearing.</p>
<p>“Safe enough for now. Now go and make haste.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alfonse!” You called out as you ran up to him. He was the first person you were able to find the next day. You’d been running around like a headless chicken trying to find somebody.</p>
<p>“What is it Kiran, you seem stressed!” He placed his hands on your arms, bracing you- grounding you. You took a deep breath.</p>
<p>“This is g-gonna sound strange but-” Deep breath. “F-Fjorm’s sister contacted me last night in my dream! Said we have to go to Nifl if we want to defeat Surtr!”</p>
<p>“Go to Nifl?!.... Why? What’s there?” He asked.</p>
<p>“She said she’d tell us more when we got there. We should find Fjorm and confirm if this is something her sister would do!” You explained. He hummed in agreement before grabbing your hand and leading you as you both searched for the Nifl princess. </p>
<p>Both of you were too distracted in your own determination to even notice that you were holding hands.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nifl was FREEZING…. and it was also under the command of Laegjarn, the daughter of Surtr. Trekking through the snowy climate was taxing and long, having to go through extra effort to cover up your tracks in the snow to throw off your pursuers. </p>
<p>You got a new dream from Gunnthra. Head to a temple up north and prepare for the Rite of Frost. She would be waiting for you up there… but it was clear that the Muspellian forces were close on your tail.</p>
<p>Even then, you could see the spark of strategy in Alfonse’s eyes. </p>
<p>“If we trick them into going here,” He pointed to a point on the map. The two of you were huddled up next to the fire strategizing while everyone else slept, having first watch. “We can corner them there and hopefully take them out so that we can safely get to the shrine.”</p>
<p>“Sounds good, but what do we do after that?” You asked.</p>
<p>“Hopefully take their generals captive,” He sighed, folding up the map. “And though it's highly unlikely… maybe get information out of them.”</p>
<p>“From what we’ve seen…. I agree…. Highly unlikely.” You let out a long yawn, your lack of sleep catching up with you.</p>
<p>“Hey, why don’t you go ahead and sleep,” Alfonse suggested. You froze.</p>
<p>“Y-You sure?” You asked nervously. He placed a hand on your shoulder, giving you a reassuring look. </p>
<p>“Yes. You’ve been hard at work. Get some sleep- and who knows, maybe Gunnthra will talk to you again,” He assured you. </p>
<p>“Wake me up if you need anything,” You told him as you laid down. Alfonse watched as you got comfortable, watching your breathing slow till you drifted off. It was rare that he ever saw you so calm. Made him feel warm inside.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When the next watchman came for their shift, he nudged you awake slightly, just enough to ask if he could sleep by you to stay warm in the cold, Nifl night. You gave him a sleepy nod of your head. In truth, he wanted to shield you from the wind as he saw you shivering in your sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>By the time you reached Gunnthra, it was too late. Surtr had found her. Fjorm’s cries filled the air when her sister was set aflame by the evil king. It was all your merry band of heroes could do to stave off his army just long enough for Gunnthra, on the verge of death, to gift you her remaining power.</p>
<p>You felt guilty receiving it. Why you? You felt unworthy of such a gift, surely Fjorm would be more worthy of her sister’s power… but it was you…. You who were thought to be an ancient hero of massive power and impressive heroics…. but you were just a normal person from earth. Never important….. until now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You made your way through the ice temple of Snarhof, following Fjorm’s lead and protecting her when foes were encountered. These were not foes sent by Muspel, however, but warriors placed in the temple to protect it from would be intruders… and it was perhaps a test to see if those who entered the sacred Nifl temple were strong enough to perform the right that must be done in the temple’s innermost sanctuary.</p>
<p>Once you had arrived and fought the final battle, an altar stood before you and Fjorm reached out from Breidablik. Without questioning her, a determined look in her eye, you handed it to her. She took Breidablik and another relic, known as Snjarsteinn, and approached the altar and spoke words that chilled you to the bone.</p>
<p>An offering of her flesh.</p>
<p>A divine weapon as the god of Nifl’s vessel.</p>
<p>Truly she was not to disappear before your eyes as she performed the rite, was she? The words stuck in your mind, and you were relieved when the rite was finished that she was still with you, but…. Something had changed that the others did not seem to notice.</p>
<p>She looked…. frail.</p>
<p>It was something only visible in the darkest depths of her eyes, something that was not outwardly visible unless you looked extremely close. </p>
<p>And then she coughed. That startled you quite a bit, worrying you immediately, but…. She brushed it off. You knew she was lying, but you chose not to say anything. If she was to talk about whatever that rite had done to her… it’d be on her terms.</p>
<p>Breidablik looked frozen when you looked at it, the true mark that the rite had been successfully performed, but… at what cost?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Was the rite worth it? You had KILLED Surtr, but yet…. He rose once again, defying death, something you thought to be impossible, that couldn’t be done… but… He rose again and he laughed at your merry band of heroes. When you looked to Alfonse for answers, all he could do at the moment was command everyone to retreat and find your way to safety.</p>
<p>“We’ll figure something out, I promise!” He assured you as you ran. You took a deep breath and placed your trust in the Prince- he was someone you knew you could always trust. You trusted him with anything and everything, especially your life. </p>
<p>When your party finally reached safety and regrouped and sent out spies to find the best course of action now that you knew that Surtr would not be defeated so simply after the singular right had been performed.</p>
<p>When the spies returned, there was a key piece of information that stood out to Alfonse: a group of Muspel soldiers were seemingly chasing something, or rather, someone. In a situation such as the one your army found itself in, the enemy of your enemy was your friend. It was agreed that that was your best move to take in the desperate situation you found yourself in within enemy territory.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When you finally found the source of all the ruckus (besides your own army), you found that it was someone quite dear to Fjorm (and her little sister whomst you had found along the way to Surtr’s palace)</p>
<p>His name was Hrid, the Crown Prince of Nifl, elder brother to Fjorm and Ylgr. He had apparently attempted an assassination against Surtr, but failed due to whatever ritual it was that protected the devilish King.</p>
<p>Watching him reunite with his sisters brought a smile to your face, and the knowledge he had learned during his solitary journey through Muspel brought hope to the army.</p>
<p>But something was wrong as you traveled through Muspel. The enemy knew where you were at every turn. Tensions began to rise throughout the army and no one knew who to trust… but you did.</p>
<p>You stood by Alfonse’s side, the two of you bouncing ideas back and forth about just who the traitor in the army could be. You didn’t know who was spilling your army’s secrets, and Fjorm swore her siblings were trustworthy, being considered an oath breaker considered a fate worse than death amongst the people of Nifl, but….</p>
<p>“... What if one of the siblings isn’t actually one of the siblings….” Alfonse realized. You turned to him, startled.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” You asked slowly. He paused, a stark revelation coming to him, shock on his face. His eyes shot to you.</p>
<p>“She knew our names,” He simply said. You furrowed your brows leaning in closer, unsure of what he was referencing. He grabbed you by the shoulders and shook you, as if it would jog your memory. “Ylgr! She knew our names!” </p>
<p>You froze.</p>
<p>When you had met the little princess, she had called out to you, greeting you, but… You hadn’t given her your name… She’d have no way of knowing your name beforehand.</p>
<p>“... She knew our names….” You realized. Alfonse grabbed your hand and the two of you raced to find the Nifl siblings, to confront the youngest who you were now assuming to be a rather familiar shapeshifter you knew…. And he was right.</p>
<p>Loki laughed at you, maybe a bit proud, oddly enough, that the two of you, mostly Alfonse, had figured it out.</p>
<p>“If Ylgr’s not here then…” Hrid mumbled to himself.</p>
<p>“She’s one of the girl’s at the sacrifice!” Alfonse finished for him. Your army entered a quick battle with Loki and her forces, but… oddly enough, at the end of the battle… she gave you a map.</p>
<p>“By the by, the other girl at the sacrifice is Princess Veronica,” Loki explained as she handed you the map.</p>
<p>“... Why are you doing this? I thought you were working for Surtr?” Alfonse asked her. She scoffed at the statement.</p>
<p>“I have my own agenda, little Prince… and that Princess is needed for it,” She simply said. She gave a little wave as she disappeared away from the battle field. </p>
<p>Looking at the map, you realized it led you to an extremely secluded area of Muspel, one your army would have never even thought of looking for… the entrance to the strange temple well hidden. You handed the map to Alfonse.</p>
<p>“I think we have our target and our key to defeat Surtr now thanks to Loki,” You explained. Alfonse looked to the map, hope filling him.</p>
<p>“Yes, I believe we do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When you reached the hidden temple, you were saddened when you were greeted by Laegjarn. She looked forlorn, like she didn’t want to fight anymore, but… You could tell she was protecting someone dear to her.</p>
<p>‘Her sister’, you thought to yourself. If there was anyone you thought Laegjarn would without a doubt protect, even at the cost of her life… it was her sister, Laevatein. Your army defeated her, powering on as to reach Ylgr and Veronica in time so that you could defeat Surtr once and for all.</p>
<p>Further into the temple, you happened upon the aforementioned Laevatein, and she seemed to be fighting for the same reason her elder sister fought. Not for her father, but for Laegjarn. They knew very well that their father cared not for them, but only for power.</p>
<p>And then you reached him. </p>
<p>Surtr was waiting for you in the ritual room. </p>
<p>You turned to Alfonse, giving him a confident nod. Together, the two of you could overcome the flames and defeat him…. And with Breidablik in hand, you did just that.</p>
<p>Surtr seemed just as shocked at his defeat as everyone around him…. The once impervious, immortal king of fire was dying, finally defeated after a grueling campaign against him and the rites that kept him untouchable for so long.</p>
<p>You turned to Alfonse, a smile on your face.</p>
<p>The two of you had done it.</p>
<p>You had killed the unkillable…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You proved death’s inevitability.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah... I just did Book 2 in one chapter..... yyyyeahh...... </p>
<p>Well, I hope you enjoyed it, even if it wasn't all that great!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Feelings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Oops. Someone caught feelings.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You struggled with the tight feeling in your chest as you watched the Prince spar with Lon’qu, one of the many swordsmen who had joined the Order of Heroes via your summons. Alfonse moved beautifully around the training grounds, evading… blocking… and attacking his foe. </p><p>When Alfonse spared you a smile every so often throughout the match, your heart skipped a beat as you gave him a shy wave of your hand or a small cheer to help fire him up.</p><p>You knew that, for your heart's sake, you’d be better off avoiding the Prince, letting the flutter in your heart rest… but you grew lost and felt purposeless when you weren’t by his side and you didn’t want him to think anything was wrong, so you stayed right where you were. His loyal companion until the end, even if it was a one sided crush.</p><p>The match you were currently watching unfortunately came out in a tie, your darling Prince having yet to defeat the world of Awakening’s gynophobic swordsmen yet (but it was also the closest match to date). As Lon’qu disappeared to god knows where, Alfonse strolled up to you with a smile on his sweaty face.</p><p>“Hey, Kiran, want to train a bit with me?” He asked, oblivious to the fast beat of your heart.</p><p>“I-I mean, I’m still no good with a sword, Alfonse,” You tried to excuse. “I’d be a poor training partner.”</p><p>“Nonsense,” He laughed. “Helping you train makes me reflect on my own technique. So… what do you say?” He held out a hand to you. With the face he was making, and no reason popping into your head that would allow you to weasel out of it, you gave in. You took his hand, glad that your hood hid your face from him, and he led you out to the center of the grounds, handing you a training sword.</p><p>“Lead the way, teacher man!” You attempted to joke. He laughed at your clear nervousness on wielding the blade (but he assumed wrong on what you were nervous about).</p><p>“Just follow my lead,” Alfonse assured you. “We’ll start with the basic motions and then we’ll move on to a slow speed spar.”</p><p>When you looked at your fearless friend, you were comforted by the warm smile you wore on his face. It was rare to see him smile, and you were glad to see it more often now that you were in a time of peace. His smile never ceased to make you happy, which only made you want to be around him more, which further lead to the torture of your fluttering heart.</p><p>“Alright, I’m ready when you are,” You told him.</p><p> </p><p>While it was still a time of peace in the kingdom of Askr, there were still minor skirmishes that appeared all around the kingdom. When Askr’s knights could not respond, it was up to the order to answer the call.</p><p>Normally, these battles were not so bad, very few casualties occurring, but when Alfonse didn’t return as quickly as he should have, worry grew in you. You ran out onto the battlefield, looking frantically around, calling his name. </p><p>When you finally found him, his back was turned to you and he was leaning on a tree as if he was out of breath.</p><p>“Alfonse?” You called out. When you placed your hand on his shoulder, he turned to you slowly, his face drained of color. When you glanced down, you saw the blood on his armor. Before you could even call for help, he fell into your arms, knocking you over. You managed to sit up, but Alfonse had passed out. </p><p>“Oh gods!” You cried. You got up, lifting him, quickly finding out he was heavier than he looked. You hooked his arms around your shoulders and began to drag him back to came, calling for help as you did. </p><p>Dimitri was the first to hear your cries for help, and he came running over, helping ease your burden of carrying Alfonse, but even then, your job was not done. You chased after him all around camp, from tent to tent, from camp to camp, all the way back to the castle. There was not a moment you did not fret over your dear prince.</p><p>It was hard for you to leave his side- not when you felt that this was your fault somehow. In between caring for the prince who had yet to awaken and any other duty you still had to uphold, you continuously read and re-read your battle plans for that day. Where did you go wrong? Where was the flaw in your plan that caused him to be put in harm's way? Should you have been by his side even though you’re not a true combatant? What went wrong?</p><p>When you couldn’t find what led to the incident, you let out a trembling sigh, the plans dropping from your hands and onto the floor.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Alfonse… this is my fault…” You slowly grabbed his hand. “I’m so sorry…”</p><p> </p><p>Sharena quietly closed the door, letting out her own heavy sigh. You had not left Alfonse’s side for days, and she was beginning to worry. The healers had declared him in the clear the first day he was injured, but still you fretted over him. Sharena turned to her mother, Queen Henriette, who had come to visit.</p><p>“I’m worried about Kiran,” She sighed. “They haven’t left his side for days.</p><p>“Well, when you love someone as much as Kiran loves Alfonse, you tend to fret like that when they get injured,” Her mother explained. </p><p>“So it really is that obvious to everyone but them,” Sharena laughed. “But mother, you sound as if you speak from experience.” Henriette nodded.</p><p>“A long time ago, your father was greatly injured. I, just like Kiran, refused to leave his side. I couldn’t stomach the thought of leaving him at a time such as that,” She told her daughter. “When Alfonse awakes, we should let them have some space.”</p><p>“Agreed…” Sharena sighed.</p><p> </p><p>It was nighttime. The room was barely illuminated by the light of a dying lamp. You were on the verge of sleep- or were you in a strange half-sleep? Your mind retained some sort of consciousness while your body could no longer fight it’s exhaustion. You were not resting in a bed as you should have been, but rather you were simply “shutting your eyes for a few minutes” with you leaning on the edge of Alfonse’s bed. </p><p>You stirred to the feeling of a hand on the back of your head that then moved to grasp yours. When you remembered where you were, you shot up, suddenly wide awake, and you stared at him. He smiled weakly at you, his body wrapped in bandages. It was strange, but it must’ve been a trick of the light: the tips of his hair looked less gold.</p><p>“A-Alfonse, I-I-” You began, your voice shaky. He shook his head and pulled you forward, simply opting to hug you. You couldn’t help but go stiff.</p><p>“I know what you’re thinking, Kiran,” He spoke quietly. You felt his hand brace the back of your head. “It’s not your fault. I… I made a quick decision and went against your plan. I thought someone was in danger when in truth they were fine… It was my own foolishness that got me hurt.” </p><p>You let out a shaky, heavy sigh, your chest quaking as you relaxed. You hadn’t noticed you’d been holding your breath. Finally, you returned his embrace, holding onto him for dear life. Your heart started beating again- and more intensely at that.</p><p>He pulled back just enough so that he could rest his forehead against yours. </p><p>“I made you promise that you wouldn’t leave me without warning me first… and I intend on doing that same,” Alfonse assured you. “I promise you I’m not going to die on you randomly.”</p><p>You pulled back a bit and paused, a confused look appearing on Alfonse’s face. He began to jump forward to stop you, but the pain from his wound caused him to wince and retract his hand. You removed your hood, allowing him to see your face. When he finally got the courage to look up at you, he grew sorrowful over your tear-stained cheeks and your sleepless eyes.</p><p>“Kiran…” He said softly. You averted your gaze away from him and scooched closer once more, placing your hand on his chest and forcing him to lay down. “Kiran, what are you-?” You laid down next to him, your head on the crook of his shoulder and chest. You couldn’t bring yourself to look him in the eye, but all you cared about was hearing his heart.</p><p>“I’m going out there with you next time,” You told him.</p><p>“Kiran, you don’t know how to fight… You told me yourself that you’re not great with a sword,” He tried to argue.</p><p>“Then teach me… teach me how to fight so that I can protect you in battle. So I can watch your back when you do make those split-second decisions…”</p><p>“.... Alright….” He couldn’t help but think about the possibility of you potentially being in danger without him to protect you- if an assassin were to try and take you out of the picture. “ I’ll teach you… So you can be by my side… and I can protect you and watch your back in battle as well…”</p><p>His knuckles gently brushed against your cheek as he tucked your hair behind your ear with his free hand. You felt yourself grow weaker by the second. Your love for him… perhaps it was not so one sided after all. </p><p>When he retracted his hand, it went straight to the one you had been resting on his chest, clasping over it.</p><p>“We should get some rest,” He finally managed to mutter out. Your face was burning like an elfire. </p><p>“Yes… we should….”</p><p> </p><p>Queen Henriette was the one who found the two of you in the morning. She had brought food for you, knowing you’d still undoubtedly be in there with her son, but when she saw you wrapped in his arms, finally getting some rest (and knowing that her son had finally woken at some point and was okay), she opted to leave. She would not risk possibly waking you after knowing how long you had stayed awake and how little sleep you had gotten.</p><p>Quietly, she turned to the guard that stood watch by the door and gave him clear instructions to let no one but the healers inside. <br/>It was when she had gotten far away from that room that she finally allowed herself to let out a squeal and begin to gush over the two of you, excited that her son had finally let someone in.</p><p>Oh! She just HAD to tell Gustav!</p><p> </p><p>After that day, there had formed some unspoken understanding between the two of you. No longer were either you afraid of your feelings or how the other felt about the other. All you knew was that the two of you, Prince and Summoner, were happy- especially when you were together. There would be nothing that could come between you.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I need to get more consistent with these updates but college does seem to get in the way.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Hel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Book 3</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I woke up today and chose DEPRESSION</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You drew Alfonse in the moment you could. You held onto him so tightly, you almost feared that you had squeezed the life out of him, but… You were scared for him. You were scared for how numbly he resided in your arms, how motionless he was. </p>
<p>When you looked into his eyes, you could see just from first glance that he was reliving the moment over and over again in his head… </p>
<p>Hel had invaded, and despite his father’s warnings, he went to try and stop her. All she had to do was say a few words and suddenly Alfonse was doomed to die in a matter of days…. And when you could find no way to stop it… and Hel came to claim his soul… His father jumped into the path of her scythe and she ended up claiming his life instead.</p>
<p>“Alfonse-”</p>
<p>“It’s my fault!” He cried, interrupting you. You bit your lip and averted your gaze. “If I had simply listened to him, my father would still be alive!”</p>
<p>“It’s not as black and white as that, Al, its-”</p>
<p>“It’s what? Hel’s fault? Sure, it is, but I played a hand in it!” He cried. You grabbed his hands, removing his gloves and your own so that you could truly feel each other. </p>
<p>“Alfonse, something was going to happen regardless of whether you did something or not,” You told him, giving his hands a squeeze. “Someone was always going to die! And more people will die if we just give up and do nothing!” </p>
<p>The two of you had locked gazes once again. Both of your faces were stained with tears and painted with guilt. After a moment, he finally let out a swear and averted his gaze.</p>
<p>“Damnit… You’re right…” </p>
<p>You reached out and cupped his face. Alfonse leaned into your hand, his own hand reaching up and resting on yours. Soon, your foreheads were touching and you both took the moment to collect yourselves and simply focus on one another.</p>
<p>“We’re gonna get through this, Alfonse,” You assured him, gently stroking your thumb across his cheek.</p>
<p>“Kiran, promise me that you won’t die,” He begged you with a whisper. You nudged your nose against his. </p>
<p>“I promise,” You told him, knowing fully well that that was a promise you couldn’t possibly make. Death wasn’t something that could be halted simply because of a promise… but you promised it anyways. He needed to hear those words.</p>
<p>Alfonse pulled you into a tight hug, simply needing to feel you more… while also fearing to let you go. You leaned your head against his, stroking his hair slowly.</p>
<p>Even when the two of you shared intimate moments such as this, neither of you had dared to say the words…. Neither of you had declared your love out loud… but in times like these… in moments like this? Neither of you doubted that the other had anything but feelings for the other. </p>
<p>You pressed your lips into the side of his head.</p>
<p>“Everything is going to be alright, Alfonse… I swear it….”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the first time ever, you saw Askr and Embla come together. Alfonse clasped hands with Veronica, the symbol of their new partnership. Hel had proved too great of a threat for the two nations to not join forces.</p>
<p>Working with Veronica allowed you to actually get to know her. She was stubborn at times, but was also kind (at least to those she truly cares about). She was surprisingly childish at times, often holding tea parties, which you gladly attended hoping to get on her good side. On occasion you’d see her smile… but it always looked pained and sorrowful. You had heard the rumors of the cursed blood of Embla’s royalty… and now that you actually knew her… you found that the rumors were true.</p>
<p>Veronica was a child, at the end of the day. It saddened you to know that she was burdened with a curse that caused her to lust for Askrs downfall.  </p>
<p>Alfonse appeared at your side while you looked out onto the wide, Emblan landscape. A subtle bump of his hand against yours quickly brought you back to reality and you turned to him.</p>
<p>“Sorry, I got distracted,” You apologized quickly.  He held up his hands.</p>
<p>“No need to apologize. It’s not like I had said anything yet,” Alfonse assured you. When you looked into his eyes, you could tell he was somewhere between hopeful and troubled. You grabbed his hand.</p>
<p>“Hey, is… is something wrong?” You asked him quietly.</p>
<p>“I… I stumbled upon something in the library here,” He admitted nervously. “It… It might be a way to end all of this, but…. The description was vague… I’m not sure what the price would be.”</p>
<p>“Well… Let’s go look at it,” You reasoned, trying to remain calm. The war against Hel had already been costly. “If it is what you say… we should add it to our list of options. We always seem to be running out of those, so…. The more the better.”</p>
<p>“I suppose…” He offered his hand to you. “I’ll show you the book.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Hearts Rite. You, Alfonse, and Veronica all stood in a circle in a rundown temple. You had exhausted every option, and were left with only this one rite… a rite you did not know the consequences to which had frightened everyone- for rites such as these always came with a hefty price.</p>
<p>Veronica offered up Angrboða’s heart to Breidablik, fusing the two into a weapon that could kill Hel. You turned to face Sharena who watched the rite, worry written all over her face…. But when you looked past Sharena, you saw her.</p>
<p>Hel stood at the door, a knowing smile on her face.</p>
<p>Why was she smiling? You had just created the weapon that would kill her! But then…</p>
<p>Your world felt numb. Your mind fell silent. The only thing you could hear was the loud beat of a heart. </p>
<p>She turned and walked away… and you fell to the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When you awoke, you could feel the change that had happened. Before the rite, you had felt sound grounded in the world, but now… now you felt as if you were slowly slipping away. Your heart- oh, your beating heart- it had slowed. The beat of that heart… it no longer deafened your ears, but you felt it’s aftershocks. </p>
<p>Your life was slipping away from you slowly… The price of killing Hel. </p>
<p>The moment you finally opened your eyes, Alfonse was upon you. He pulled you oh so tightly into his arms and held on like he would never let go.</p>
<p>“I thought we had lost you!” He cried, You stared blankly at the wall across from you.</p>
<p>“Al… Have you heard it?” You asked quietly. “That heartbeat… it was so loud….” He pulled away from the embrace and looked you in the eye, concern riddling his.</p>
<p>“Kiran… what are you talking about?” He asked worriedly. You frowned slightly.</p>
<p>“You didn’t hear it?” For a moment you were confused, but then you were glad he hadn’t heard it. You’d felt like you were dying ever since. “Alfonse, I… I saw Hel when we performed the rite.”</p>
<p>“You what?!” He held onto you even tighter.</p>
<p>“She… smiled at me… as if she knew something we didn’t… and then I heard the bell… And then I passed out, I think,”You explained. He grew visibly uncomfortable.</p>
<p>“... It didn’t look like you passed out,” He told you. “You didn’t stumble or try to grab onto anything…. You collapsed. It looked like you had died in that very moment. I was fearful that you had, but when I got to you, your heart was still beating.”</p>
<p>“Alfonse, I….” You paused. “I’m sorry… I am so sorry…”</p>
<p>“Sorry for… what? What are you sorry for?!” He begged you.</p>
<p>“I…. This….” You took a deep breath. “This is my warning… I… The rite it-”</p>
<p>“Kiran, if this is some joke you’re trying to pull on me, it’s not funny,” Alfonse warned shakily. “Kiran, please tell me you’re joking!”</p>
<p>“I…” You were at a loss for words. You brought his hand to your neck, placing his thumb over your pulse. He paused as he felt its slowing beat.</p>
<p>“W-We’ll…. We’ll figure it out! We’ll find a way to save you!” He cried. “We’ll kill Hel with Breidablik and we’ll save you! We’ll do whatever we have to to save you!”</p>
<p>“I-!” You immediately paused the moment there was a knock at the door. You grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “D-Don’t tell anyone!” You begged him.  “They don’t need to know… at least not right now…” </p>
<p>Alfonse eyed you cautiously, unsure of what purpose hiding it from them had… but he’d respect your wish. He sat back, creating space between the two of you.</p>
<p>“Come in!” You called out. The door opened and Sharena entered, followed by Anna. They were happy to see you awake and seemingly well. You smiled for them, and told little white lies all while Alfonse’s eyes burned into you. </p>
<p>All you could do was simply grab his hand, reminding him you were still there. You weren’t gone just yet… And for now there was a possibility you could survive… even if it was low.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alfonse ran around the library like a headless chicken while you and Veronica sat quietly. The three of you were the ones who had performed the rite, so you told Veronica the truth of your condition. She watched you with a wary eye, but you could not determine why.</p>
<p>“I don’t get it!” Alfonse growled. “There has to be something here about the rite!”</p>
<p>“Al, please,” You begged him. “You need to rest. I’ll be alright…”</p>
<p>“That’s a lie and you know it!” He berated you. “Every second we waste, the closer you are to death!” Alfonse stormed up to you, a hand going beneath your chin to make you look him in the eye. “I’m not resting until you are safe.”</p>
<p>“Alfonse…” You said his name quietly, begging him to see reason… but he refused to see it. The price to defeat Hel was your life… there is no changing that. A life for a life. It made sense- at least to you and Veronica.</p>
<p>“I believe it is safe to say that this rite has never been performed before,” Veronica stated. “We never could have known the price of the rite… and I don’t think we’ll ever find a way to overturn it. You’re better spending your time making peace with your Summoner’s fate.”</p>
<p>You shivered at the glare that Alfonse gave here. She brushed it off as if it was nothing. </p>
<p>“Al… please…” You said quietly. He turned his gaze away from her and back to you. The look in his eyes… All you wanted to do was comfort him- but now was not the time or place.</p>
<p>A knock came from the door to the library.</p>
<p>“Enter,” Veronica commanded. Bruno entered the room, an expression on his face that you would never be able to describe. Defeat? Anger? Forlornness? </p>
<p>“What is it, brother?” Veronica asked, worry growing inside her. She’d never seen her brother in such a state.</p>
<p>“We… We are receiving reports of mass death,” He revealed. “Most people reported hearing a deafening heart beat in the time before their death, and many more are reporting that they are hearing it now.”</p>
<p>Veronica turned to Alfonse, shock and fear on her face…. And Alfonse turned to you. </p>
<p>You locked eyes with him. Emptiness. </p>
<p>“This…. This is all my fault.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With the revelation that it was not just you being sacrificed to the ritual, but many, you were forced to come forth and reveal to the Order your upcoming fate… and with that, you released the heroes of their contracts and sent them home, even if they didn’t want to go- you and Alfonse agreed that it was best not to risk their lives.</p>
<p>“Do you think it will be all of us?” Sharena asked you nervously, trying to fight back tears.</p>
<p>“I hope not, Sharena,” You told her. “The world wouldn’t be as bright without you.”</p>
<p>“K-Kiran, I-I!” She sniffled. You drew her into a hug.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about me, Sharena… Just… Just keep an eye on your brother for me, okay? He… He blames himself for all of this,” You asked her.</p>
<p>“I will… I promise…”</p>
<p>“Good… Now… Go get some rest… or help some heroes who are leaving…. Whatever you want to do, really,” You told her, breaking away from the hug. “I… I need some rest.”</p>
<p>“Don’t overwork yourself, Kiran,” She warned (more like begged) you. You gave her an affirmative nod before turning away. When she was finally out of sight, you let out a gasp and supported yourself against the wall. </p>
<p>The beating of  Angrboða’s heart had slowly returned to your consciousness, and even though it was quiet…. Every beat of the heart became more and more painful. You knew you did not have much time left.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alfonse found you leaning against a tree, resting. He had become frightened at first, seeing your still figure… but then he saw the slow rise and fall of your chest, revealing to him that you were in fact still alive.</p>
<p>You slowly opened your eyes and looked up at the prince.</p>
<p>“Care to join me?” You asked softly. He looked ashamed of himself, but he joined you despite that, sitting down by your side… but a distance between the two of you. You shook your head and closed the distance, feeling Alfonse stiffen as you leaned on him.</p>
<p>“.... Kiran, I-”</p>
<p>“Shhh,” you told him softly. You looked up at him. “It’s not your fault. The blame is and will always be on Hel.” His jaw tightened at your words.</p>
<p>“Everyone is going to die… because I couldn’t find a way to kill her,” He argued. You took his hand in yours, giving it a tight squeeze.</p>
<p>“Alfonse, this… this fate we now have… We have been saved from a worse one,” you explained to him. “Hel would have come and slain us with her armies… we would have died horrible deaths, but now?” You let out a heavy sigh. “I can die a peaceful death… Knowing that my last moments were with you… and not staring down the end of somebody's blade.”</p>
<p>“I would rather you not die at all…” He breathed out. When you looked at him, he refused to look back. You paused for a moment, collecting yourself. You released his hand and removed your hood, showing your face once more. He glanced over to you before quickly averting his eyes.</p>
<p>“Why did you do that?” He asked stiffly. A deep breath.</p>
<p>“Alfonse, I love you.”</p>
<p>His face immediately turned red and he turned to face you. Your face was burning now, but you stayed determined.</p>
<p>“Alfonse… before I met you… I was nobody…. I was unimportant… but then I met you… and I became somebody… I became important!” You moved so that you could properly face him. “I would not trade my time here for anything. Even though my life is soon coming to an end…. I would not change anything… I cannot even imagine my life now without having met you.”</p>
<p>“Kiran, why….” He struggled to hide the shakiness of his voice. “Why would you tell me that?! I-... I kill you and now you torment me by telling me that you love me? After everything that I have done?!” </p>
<p>“That is precisely why I told you!” You argued. Your hands cupped his face. “I told you because I can see how much you’re struggling. Alfonse… even after everything… I love you…  None of this is your fault…. Nobody believes it to be your fault! We would not be here if we thought it was!”</p>
<p>“But-!”</p>
<p>You brought your forehead to his. Alfonse braced himself against you, and you grew sad by the tears you saw run down his face.</p>
<p>“Alfonse… Truthfully….” You said quietly. “We’re with you until the end… I am with you until the end…” You stroked the side of his face. “I love you, Alfonse… I always will…”</p>
<p>He stared into your eyes for a moment, his eyes red from his tears. He carefully moved his arms around you before drawing you into a kiss. At first you were taken aback, freezing for a moment, but then you relaxed into him, returning the gesture.</p>
<p>“I love you too,” He murmured against your lips. “I love you so much it hurts.” You kissed once more. “I am lost without you.”</p>
<p>“Let’s make the most of our time,” You begged him. “Please… I don’t want to waste a single moment.” </p>
<p>He held you close against him as your lips met once more. </p>
<p>“Let’s… go somewhere more private…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alfonse finished hiding Breidablik. You had been leaning against a wall as you watched him. You felt weak, the beating of the heart continuing to torment you… but when you saw the way Alfonse looked at you, it helped alleviate the torment- even make you forget about it.</p>
<p>When he returned to you, he placed a kiss on the side of your head and pulled you into him, supporting you.</p>
<p>“She won’t find it,” He said confidently. “This spot is only known to my mother and I.”</p>
<p>“What’s important about this spot?” You asked him.</p>
<p>“When I was a boy, my mother and I were playing and I accidentally broke an old vase. My mother did not blame me for breaking the vase, she’d been chasing me around and I tripped and fell, but I was so nervous about what my father would say about it that I made myself sick,” He chuckled to himself, remembering the memory. “Mother soothed me by telling me that nobody needed to know about the incident, so we came here and we hid the pieces so that he’d never seen that the vase was broken.” The two of you began walking back to the castle.</p>
<p>“Surely your father knew that the vase was missing?” You laughed.</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m positive he did!” He laughed with you. “If I had to guess what happened the moment my mother was alone with him, she probably told him  the whole tale just so he’d know that nobody had stolen the vase. He never said anything to me, but as I got older, I noticed this look he’d have on his face when he’d look at where the vase was- it was a knowing look. He never said anything about it… but I’m positive he knew.”</p>
<p>The two of you laughed and recalled childhood stories as you returned to the castle grounds. For just this moment, the two of you had grown so joyful in each other’s presence that you forgot all about the woes of the world until Alfonse let out a cry and fell to his hands and knees.</p>
<p>“Alfonse!” You cried,  kneeling down so that you could see his face. His face had drained of its color and he struggled to catch his breath. When he glanced over weakly at you, you knew he had heard it.</p>
<p>You helped him sit back, bracing him against yourself as he recovered from the initial shock of hearing the heartbeat. </p>
<p>Finally, he spoke, turning to you, a hand on your face.</p>
<p>“Perhaps… we can go together…” He said hopingly. You knew you could not live without him… and that he could not live without you.</p>
<p>“.... Maybe…” You comforted him.</p>
<p>Your heart was barely beating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is it time to go?”</p>
<p>Hel stood before you, scythe in hand.</p>
<p>“It is,” She told you. </p>
<p>You looked down at Alfonse, whose head rested in your lap. You gently stroked his silver tipped hair until he woke up.</p>
<p>“What is it?” He asked sleepily.</p>
<p>“It’s time for me to say goodbye,” You softly told him. He shot up at your words, and the moment he saw Hel, he knew what was happening.</p>
<p>“No!” He shouted, grasping you tightly. “No! You can’t leave! Kiran!” He placed himself between you and Hel. You simply cupped his face, placing a kiss on his forehead.</p>
<p>“Alfonse… I’m sorry…” You apologized. “But I have to go. My heart… It stopped beating.” He opened his mouth to argue, but you shut him up with a kiss. “I love you, Alfonse…. Please… take care of Askr until we can see each other again.”</p>
<p>“Kiran-?!” When he tried to move, he found he could not. Hel somehow held him in place. You took a deep breath, letting him go. You willingly walked up to Hel and looked up to her.</p>
<p>“KIRAN!” He cried out. You knew if you looked at him, your resolve would break.</p>
<p>“Now…” Hel simply said.</p>
<p>The last thing you remember was her scythe raising into the air and Alfonse’s pained screams.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>🙃</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Another World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Another Kiran and Another Alfonse....</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kiran ran up to Alfonse, standing behind him as he held up his sword.</p>
<p>“Stand back,” He cautioned them, continuing to stare down the man in front of him. He did not like the way the swordsman looked at Kiran. “I’m assuming you’re one of Hel’s generals?”</p>
<p>The swordsman stared back, his face mostly hidden by a glowing blue mask, his body almost creepily ethereal with the way it glowed and acted as a window to his skeleton.</p>
<p>“I am,” He simply answered. “My name is Lif.” Alfonse pulled Kiran further behind him. </p>
<p>“Lif? Like the first king of Askr? Why are you working for Hel?!” He asked Lif. The man scoffed.</p>
<p>“That is for me to know, and you to never find out,” Lif mocked. Alfonse let out a low growl, but Kiran grabbed his arm.</p>
<p>“Don’t do anything foolish- he’s just messing with you,” they warned.</p>
<p>“I know….” Alfonse agreed. Before they could continue their lovely conversation, the red witch appeared and greeted her companion.</p>
<p>“Lif, we need to leave,” She declared. “Hel’s calling us back.”</p>
<p>“To retreat?” He asked, annoyed. The witch glanced over at Kiran and Alfonse.</p>
<p>“No, not quite.” And with that, the two left with not much else said. Alfonse let out a sigh of relief before turning to Kiran, a hand on their shoulder.</p>
<p>“What did I tell you about going out onto the battlefield?” He asked them worriedly.</p>
<p>“You said to avoid it if I could, but I got scared when I saw you about to fight that general,” Kiran explained. “He looked ready to kill you.” Alfonse let out a sigh.</p>
<p>“We should join back with the others and make sure everyone else is okay… then we need to form a plan on how to deal with these generals that Hel has…” His hand fell off of Kiran’s shoulder. “Shall we?”</p>
<p>“Y-yeah,” Kiran agreed. </p>
<p>As they began walking, Kiran couldn’t help but look back to where Lif once was…. There was something familiar about him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kiran paced about the library, searching every nook and cranny for anything on the first king of Askr. Lif, they called him…. Why was he so familiar? </p>
<p>“You’re gonna wear a trail into the floor if you keep walking around that much,” a voice rang out. Kiran turned and found Alfonse standing next to their pile of books on the history of Askr. “Haven’t I already shown you these books…?”</p>
<p>“You have!” Kiran sighed. They walked over and sat down on the table, giving up for the moment. “It’s just… Lif feels familiar. I feel like I’ve met him before.”</p>
<p>“You sure it’s not just from having read about him?” Alfonse joined them on the table, taking the book they had in their hands and opening it up. </p>
<p>“No… I know how he looks,” They clarified. Alfonse froze.</p>
<p>“And… you were looking for a painting of him in…. Books?”</p>
<p>“Listen, where I’m from, there all sorts of pictures in books,” Kiran clarified. “I didn’t quite think about that not really being a thing here…”</p>
<p>“I think I know where I can fan a proper picture of him,” Alfonse offered. “Shall we go look?”</p>
<p>“S-Sure,” Kiran sighed, hopping off the table with him. Alfonse guided them deep into the castle, through the winding hallways, until eventually they ended up at a worn down, old painting. </p>
<p>“This would be him- not the best painting around and he’s a bit older here, but… this should be him,” Alfonse explained. Kiran walked up to the painting, looking at the man that was there. Yes, he looked like Lif, but… something was off. The nose was slightly wrong, and so was the eye shape…. And unlike Lif, the man in the painting had gold tipped hair instead of silver.<br/>Kiran looked back at Alfonse, examining his face. He had the same nose… the same eye shape… but he too had the golden tipped hair.</p>
<p>“Something wrong?” Alfonse asked quietly.</p>
<p>“N-No… nothing’s wrong…” Kiran looked back at the painting. “There’s definitely strong genes in your family. You look a lot like him.”</p>
<p>“You think?” Alfonse wondered aloud. He stepped up next to Kiran so he could get a closer look at the worn painting. “I suppose you’re right…. Now that you point it out, I suppose I look more like Lif than I do my own Father…..”</p>
<p>“Sometimes blood is weird like that,” They explained. </p>
<p>Kiran jumped when a voice rang out through the halls- Sharena’s that was. </p>
<p>“Hey, are you two back this way?!” She called out. “The guards said you went this way!”</p>
<p>“We should head back!” Kiran said eagerly.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah, I suppose we should,” Alfonse agreed.</p>
<p>As the two of them walked away, Kiran stole one final glance at the painting, and a sneaky glance at Alfonse.<br/>It wasn’t the painting or the books that made Lif feel so familiar… it was Alfonse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next battles with Hel and her forces were brutal, the Order of Heroes just barely scraping by. The armies of Hel were no easy foe, but there was no losing or giving up. If Hel won, it’d be the death of the world.</p>
<p>Kiran monitored the current battle from atop a hill. This was no random scuffle, but a full blown battle, one of Hel’s generals on the battlefield for the first time since they met at the beginning of the war. This battle was one they could not afford to lose.</p>
<p>“Summoner! The enemy is pushing us towards the forest! What should we do?!” A soldier asked you. Kiran paused for a second, considering their options.</p>
<p>“Lead the armies into the forest! Use the coverage the forest will provide! At this point, our best option is to use guerilla warfare in the forest and find a way to lead them into a pincer attack!” Kiran commanded. The Soldier gave an affirmative nod before giving the order. Kiran watched as the Order retreated into the woods- woods they should know. They had performed many practice battles here, except that it was in their Askr, and not the Askr they currently found themselves in.</p>
<p>They caught sight of Sharena leading her forces, and Anna leading hers. Group after group led their soldiers into the woods, preparing for a pincer attack, Hel’s forces following them in, but getting ambushed upon entering, bettering their odds at victory.</p>
<p>But then Kiran’s eye fell to Alfonse who currently rushed towards the woods, his battalion shattered- and then they saw him. Lif tailed after Alfonse, blood lust in his eyes. A pit grew in Kiran’s stomach. Alfonse was in danger- grave danger.</p>
<p>A quick glance around and Kiran could only find one line of action- and that was to run onto the battlefield, ignoring all calls for them to stop. They ran and they ran until they grew close to Alfonse and his pursuers. </p>
<p>“HEY!!!” Kiran called out at the top of their lungs. Lif and Alfonse both turned to look at them, a sweat running down their face. “Is this something you want?!” They held up breidablik into the air, tempting the enemy with it. Kiran was practically offering themself as a sacrifice for Alfonse.</p>
<p>Lif fully turned as his soldiers- without his order- began to bolt towards them. Kiran let out a gasp and began running away from Alfonse.</p>
<p>“Kiran!!!!” They heard Alfonse scream out before the sound of blades colliding. With the soldiers still hot on their tail, Kiran could not afford to turn around and look back. They needed to keep running.</p>
<p>Mistakes are often made in these moments. People forget details that you had once discarded as unimportant, but when unexpected events occur, it is often useful to remember what one is running towards.</p>
<p>Kiran found themself on a cliff, far away from the rest of the battle. </p>
<p>Out of breath, they turned around, looking at their foes. Perhaps they could frighten them away with Breidablik…. But they continued their approach. Kiran took a step back, attempting to place more distance between them and the soldiers, but with the withering trees and their withering roots, and a cliff that had not been walked upon in ages- the world fell out beneath them, a cry leaving their lips as they fell.</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A bit of a shorter chapter, but it leads into something grander</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Lif and the Summoner</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Summoner learns Lif's truth.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kiran felt themselves being caught in the air, but they were too frightened to open their eyes to see who- or what- caught them. They felt the being land and then run off with them, being taken to who knows where.</p>
<p>When they finally gained the courage to open their eyes, they saw the person they least expected to see… Lif.</p>
<p>They stared in shock as Lif carried them bridal style to an abandoned building close to the battlefield, setting them down.</p>
<p>“W-Why-?”</p>
<p>“Shut up.” Lif cut them off, ignoring them. He went to the door of the building and began listening. Kiran stood, still in shock.</p>
<p>“I-I’m confused…”</p>
<p>“I said quiet!” He snipped at them. He listened for a while longer before he heard precisely what he’d been waiting for. He rushed up to Kiran and pressed them against the wall- a hand over their mouth-, obscuring them from view. Kiran glanced to the door and saw a group of Hel’s soldiers. They held their breath, fearing making even the smallest noise. </p>
<p>As they continued to pass, Kiran chanced a glance up at Lif’s face. He stared scarily at the door, his red eyes locked and unblinking. It was now that they were so close together that Kiran realized who he was. Eyes watering, they reached up, not to push him away, but to touch his face.</p>
<p>The moment their finger hit his cheek, he snapped his eyes away from their door and glared at them. Kiran winced, retracting their hand quickly. There was pain in his eyes when he looked at them.</p>
<p>The moment the soldiers were safely gone, he backed away and let out a growl.</p>
<p>“Do not touch me!” He berated. Kiran grew small.</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry! It’s just… It’s just that-” They struggled to form words, fidgeting in place.</p>
<p>“It’s just what?!” He asked through clenched teeth. Kiran paused, freezing. Their eyes briefly met his once more before they diverted their gaze.</p>
<p>“... What happened to you, Alfonse?” </p>
<p>The moment the name left their lips, Lif’s sword was drawn and against their neck, an unspeakable rage visible in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Do NOT call me by that name!” Lif growled threateningly.</p>
<p>“B-But why? W-What happened?!” Kiran asked desperately, attempting to stand their ground.</p>
<p>“I do not deserve that name!” He explained in his rage. “That name died along with the rest of this world!”</p>
<p>Lif lowered his blade and stormed to the door.</p>
<p>“My debt to you is repaid,” He simply said before glancing back at Kiran. “If you tell a single soul that name- I will not hesitate to kill everyone you love.”</p>
<p>With that, he left them, disappearing just as quickly as he had arrived.</p>
<p>“.... Just what happened to you, Alfonse….?” Kiran asked quietly. They could see the pain and suffering written all over his face- but then they remembered what he had said. His name died with the rest of the world… but why would he be working with Hel? What happened that caused him to ignore his moral compass and join the woman who had caused the tragedy?</p>
<p>Kiran waited a moment before leaving the old building, attempting to make their way back to the battlefield- and back to their Alfonse. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When they made it back, they found Alfonse barking out orders for soldier’s to go find them, but the moment he saw Kiran alive, the harsh look on his face softened and he rushed over, pulling them into a protective hug.’</p>
<p>“I was so worried about you!” He told them, still holding on tightly. “Why would you do something so foolish?! The moment you started running, Lif was on your tail! I was almost positive that he had captured you!”</p>
<p>“I was afraid he’d kill you,” Kiran explained. “You looked outnumbered… I was afraid, so I did all I could in that moment.”</p>
<p>“Well… you’re plan worked- but at what cost?! He could have killed you!” The look in Alfonse’s eyes spoke thousands of words- just like Lif’s.</p>
<p>“What’s important is that he didn’t,” they assured him, taking his hands in their own. “What’s important is that you’re safe and I was able to hide from him.”</p>
<p>“Kiran, don’t-”</p>
<p>“Alfonse, I can’t promise I won’t do that sort of thing again- not when I truly believe you are in danger,” Kiran explained. “I’ll try not to do it- but you have to promise me you won’t let yourself get cornered like that again.”</p>
<p>Alfonse stood stiffly, but reluctantly agreed.</p>
<p>“So we both swear not to do reckless actions,” He stiffly proposed.</p>
<p>“We both swear,” Kiran confirmed.</p>
<p>Alfonse nodded a few times, letting go of Kiran’s hands.</p>
<p>He and Lif were so much alike- especially in their expressions- but something in their history was vastly different….</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alfonse and Kiran stood atop a hill, watching the Order of Heroes march towards the Fallen Kingdom of Askr. Kiram watched with unease, the state of- well, everything- weighing heavily on their mind.</p>
<p>“When are you going to stop looking so worried?” Alfonse asked them, ripping them from their mind.</p>
<p>“W-When this is all over,” They stiffly spoke. Alfonse frowned, stepping closer.</p>
<p>“Kiran, you’ve been acting oddly ever since that one battle. Did you truly escape from Lif that day?” He asked. He took quick note of Kiran’s hesitation and quickly added on, “Don’t lie to me, please! Tell me the truth.”</p>
<p>Kiran glanced over and chose their words carefully.</p>
<p>“I escaped Lif that day,” Kiran slowly spoke. It was a half truth. ‘I did not escape another version of you,’ they thought to themselves. Alfonse was no fool. He could see the way their lips tightened when they spoke- Kiran’s little quirk when they lied. With a deep breath, he held his tongue. He would not press them about whatever happened that day… no matter how much he was concerned.</p>
<p>“Commander! We’ve received a report from the town!” A soldier announced, approaching the two of them.</p>
<p>“What is it?” Alfonse asked, brows furrowed.</p>
<p>“Everything in this world is dead, correct?” The soldier rhetorically asked. “Well… there’s something in the town that I think you need to see…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bouquets?” Sharena asked, picking one of the many up. Her usual joyful expression contorted into a frown. “How odd… this is my favorite flower.”</p>
<p>Alfonse walked up to the series of flowers, observing them.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that should be our concern here, Sharena,” He pointed out. “It’s the question of who’s been leaving them here.”</p>
<p>“It could be Lif,” Kiran suggested. “He’s the King of Askr, and… his people befell a tragedy- whatever it was. It’d make sense if he was the one leaving them.” Alfonse eyed them over.</p>
<p>“... I suppose that would make sense… even if he was the king so many years ago,” He mumbled to himself. He turned to the castle. “We should go in. I think we’ll find more answers in there than we will out here.”</p>
<p>“Agreed..”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The castle felt horrifically empty. Kiran had only been to the Capital’s castle a few times, but even they knew that things felt completely wrong in this place. They closely watched the frowns on Alfonse and Sharena’s faces…. They were deeply troubled by the emptiness of their home.</p>
<p>The Order of Heroes made their way to the library and spread out. Alfonse instantly made his way to the history section, seeing if he could find anything written about the events leading to the fall of this Askr. Kiran followed him, but when he couldn’t seem to find what he was looking for… Kiran had an idea.</p>
<p>While Alfonse grew distracted while talking to Robin, Kiran slipped away. They managed to quietly slip out of the library without anybody seeing and slowly began to make their way through the halls.</p>
<p>With the voices of the Order far behind them, they made their way to Alfonse’s chambers in the Castle. Much to their surprise, Alfonse’s room was… a mess. His bed was unmade and items were strewn about his room as if it’d been wrecked purposely. </p>
<p>Kiran slowly walked in, making their way to a bookshelf that Alfonse had in his room. Browsing through the books, they found exactly what they expected: his favorite novels.</p>
<p>Kiran let out a sigh and strolled over to his desk, sorting through it, but finding nothing. A frown growing on their face, they began to look all over the room until they peeked under his pillow. Their lips fell open as they recognized the object. </p>
<p>Carefully picking it up, they examined the circlet that they recognized as their own. A blush came to their face that they fought furiously. They pocketed the circlet and retreated from the room, closing it and hoping the room looked otherwise untouched.</p>
<p>As they headed back to the library, Kiran paused for a moment. How could they have forgotten? They existed in this world- another them… and if they were anything like them… they kept a journal.</p>
<p>Kiran turned down a hallway away from the library, quickly making their way to what was their room in this castle. It was far from Alfonse’s room, but not so far from the library, so if by now Alfonse had taken note of their absence, they’d be found in their own room and not so far away.</p>
<p>The hallway came into view, as well as their room, but… the door was cracked open, a light spilled through the cracks. Frowning, Kiran slowly and carefully made their way down the hallway, careful to not make a sound.</p>
<p>When they reached their door, they listened closely, but did not hear anything suspicious. With a deep breath, Kiran slowly pushed open the door, revealing their room…</p>
<p>He stood there.</p>
<p>He quietly hovered above a book placed on the other selves’ desk, his eyes red with rage as he read over the contents of the book.</p>
<p>Kiran quickly dodged out of the doorway, hoping Lif hadn’t seen them. After a moment of listening, they heard him walk away from the desk in the room- and much to Kiran’s relief- away from the door. Taking a nervous peek in, they saw that he had moved to a window, looking outside at the deadness of the world.</p>
<p>This was their opportunity.</p>
<p>Kiran quietly slinked into the room and made their way to the desk, carefully grabbing the book off the desk. Keeping a close eye on Lif as they back out of the room, they were too focused on the general of the dead to notice the circlet they had grabbed earlier slipping from their pocket and hitting the floor.</p>
<p>Kiran immediately froze as Lif spun around, hand already on his sword. He saw Kiran standing in the doorway…. With his Kiran’s journal in hand.</p>
<p>“That’s not yours to have!” He growled at them. Kiran immediately broke out into a full on run, slamming the door shut, Lif on their tail. They flinched as they heard him destroy their door, rage filling the other Alfonse. For better or worse, Kiran made their way to the second floor of the castle, hoping hid get thrown off by their route of choice, but he still remained directly behind them- leaving them with only one idea for how to get safely away from him.</p>
<p>They now ran towards the library, a foolish, but hopefully effective plan in their mind. They heard Lif let out a growl as he entered striking range of them. Kiran ducked as he swung for their head, and dodged once more as he went for their heart. They dodged one last time as he swung his dreaded sword, and to Kiran’s luck, he got it lodged in the wall, giving them the time they needed to make their way to the library. </p>
<p>Kiran burst through the library’s doors, Lif quickly recovering and closing the distance once more. Quickly, they climbed clumsily onto the banister and leapt over it. They planned to grab onto the chandelier in the library, but Lif grabbed hold of their coat, Kiran caught in his grasp.</p>
<p>“KIRAN!” Alfonse cried out as he ran to help them. They looked up at Lif who began to pull them up. Kiran looked at the book in their hands before throwing it to Alfonse.</p>
<p>“Catch!” They shouted to him. Alfonse caught the book and set it aside, worried for Kiran. Just as Lif almost had them, Kiran manages to wriggle their way out of their cloak and they fall out of Lif’s grasp. Alfonse caught them and helped them down.<br/>Lif jumped down and approached, Alfonse placing himself between them.</p>
<p>“That journal was not yours to take!” Lif growled at you.</p>
<p>“It is mine though, isn’t it?” Kiran asked him, determinedly. Lif’s sword shook as he pointed it at them. Something was causing him to hesitate.</p>
<p>Alfonse paused. There was a certain level of familiarity between the general and the summoner. Still holding a sword up towards Lif, Alfonse spoke to Kiran.</p>
<p>“Kiran, read the journal,” He spoke stiffly. Kiran grabbed the journal and opened it, quickly flipping past their own entries and to ones they recognized as being written in Alfonse’s own hand.</p>
<p>“... As destruction took hold, we joined with Embla, and we were left with no choice but to see the forbidden heart,” Kiran read.</p>
<p>“If you are wise, you will silence yourself!” Lif shouted. Kiran ignored him.</p>
<p>“It was the only way to defeat Hel- the Heart’s Rite, but the rite came at the ultimate cost. Though it may slay the ruler of the dead, it too spelled our end. With every pulse, it steals one life. Death has ravaged us in an eyeblink. First towns fell, and ultimately all the land…. Death came for all who drew breath…”</p>
<p>“SILENCE!”</p>
<p>“Might dragon, Askr, forgive us this sin, unforgivable though it may be. We beg of you one thing only: Salvation.” Kiran glanced up a Lif, horror on their face.</p>
<p>“I’ll kill you….” Lif threatened.</p>
<p>“Wait! Lif! That’s not your name is it, Lif?!” </p>
<p>The general knew where this was going and Kiran quickly shielded Alfonse from the general before he could strike Alfonse. Lif’s blade stopped at their neck, hesitation written all over his face.</p>
<p>Kiran glanced back at Alfonse, giving him a reassuring look before turning back to Lif, extending their hand to him.</p>
<p>“Come with us… We can help you defeat Hel… Please, Alfonse….” They asked him, and with that, Alfonse’s theory was confirmed. Lif was him from this world.</p>
<p>“To think that I would work with Hel…” He muttered to himself. “Why?!”</p>
<p>“Because everyone died, that’s why!” Lif exclaimed. “Hel offered me a deal and I was mad enough to accept it because everyone I knew and loved was dead! Killing you…. That’s how I get them all back!”</p>
<p>“Then kill me!” Kiran told him. “If killing me gets you your Kiran back, then kill me! You’ve had many opportunities to do so!”</p>
<p>Lif let out an angered growl and charged. Alfonse ducked in front of Kiran and blocked the attack. Kiran grabbed their journal and ran to safety, allowing Alfonse and his counterpart to battle. Now that the battle properly started, the other heroes joined in on the fight as Lif summoned the heroes of the dead to fight, a battle now properly breaking out in the library.</p>
<p>Alfonse got blown back by one of Lif’s attack, Lif older and stronger than Alfonse, but Alfonse had one advantage in this fight: He knows how Lif fights, and Lif was currently too blinded by rage to remember the same. Lif raise his sword into the air, and Alfonse acted quickly, knocking the sword from his hands.</p>
<p>Lif jumped away, Alfonse holding his sword in a guard position.</p>
<p>“We do not have to be enemies, Lif!” He begged him. Lif grabbed hold of his sword and stood back.</p>
<p>“There will come a day when you will feel my pain and understand my decisions,” Lif warned. He was still visibly enraged, but was forced to retreat from the castle, the battle lost.</p>
<p>With the threat now gone, Kiran ran and grabbed their coat and quickly pulled it on, hiding their face once more.</p>
<p>“I would get onto you for sneaking away like you did, but…” Alfonse spoke quietly. “... You got us information we greatly needed, So… Thank you.”</p>
<p>“I went to your room and looked for a book, but I didn’t find anything… So I went to my room and found Lif with this world’s version of me’s journal,” They shyly explained. “I almost got away unseen, but I was clumsy and dropped something.”</p>
<p>“Please be honest with me… How long have you known about the truth of this world? About Lif?” He asked.</p>
<p>“It was the day I distracted those soldiers and ran off…. I fell off a cliff, but Lif caught and saved me. He brought me to a place where we could wait out the battle… I recognized him to be you there… He told me if I told anyone, he’d kill everyone I loved,” they revealed nervously. Alfonse averted his gaze.</p>
<p>“I… I understand why you lied to me now…”  He sighed. Alfonse looked  back to Kiran. “Let’s get the Order to a safer location for now.”</p>
<p>“Right…” As Alfonse walked to start leading the others, Kiran subtly grabbed his hand,  hoping to  ground him. </p>
<p>The revelation that Lif was him weighed  heavily on his mind… and Kiran hoped  to distract him from that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tell me if you have any ideas about some things that can happen between the Summoner and our favorite Blue-Gold Boy</p></blockquote></div></div>
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